6
I got up and went to the door, telling Mikey to
leave.
He didn’t want to go.
I went over and grabbed him and his stuff and
threw him out.
“Mom! Wait, my leg hurts!”
く
I didn’t care and pushed him out.
As I threw his bag on top of him, Jason came
out of the forest looking concerned.
“Sarah, Mikey has been having nightmares. •
He needs you, can’t you just let him stay for a few days?”
I said immediately, “No.”
Mikey saw Beth peeking from the kitchen.
He pointed and said.
“Why can she stay here and I can’t?
I’m your real son…”
I said.
“Don’t you dare compare yourself to Beth.
く
8:52
She can stay here as long as she wants.
How many times do I have to tell you?
I don’t want you anymore.
1
37
I don’t want you, you’re not my child anymore.”
Mikey started crying, even though he never
cried.
Jason helped Mikey up before asking.
“Why are you so mean to your child?”
I slammed the door.
That night, it was raining.
Jason’s car was still there.
Grandma Betty grabbed an umbrella to bring
Mikey blankets, but I stopped her.
<
8:52
((
37
The next morning, Jason knocked on the door, asking me to see Mikey.
He said Mikey had a bad fever, and was vomiting a lot.
I put earplugs in Beth’s and my ears and went back to sleep.
I was laughing with Beth as we picked some fruit at Grandma Betty’s farm.
As I drove Beth back to school, she shared the
fruit she picked with her friends.
“Are these blueberries? They’re so big and taste better than the stores.”
“Yeah, my godmother used to go to school to
be a farm doctor. Only Grandma Betty grows them here.”
Beth’s friends started asking if they could come
<
with her next time.
I said yes and they got really excited.
1
T
I left the girls dorms and looked at the sky.
“Farm Doctor.” I hadn’t heard that in years.
Thirteen years ago, I was a grad student.
I went to class, did research, and wrote papers.
Then I got pregnant with Mikey.
I didn’t want him.
But Jason said he would die if I didn’t have him.
He got on his knees and proposed, so I married
him.
<
Everyone said I was lucky.
Jason promised that I could finish school after
the baby was born.
